The present invention relates to compositions comprising hydroxy-functionalized poly (amino ethers) or poly(hydroxy amino ethers) (PHAE), method for preparing the same and articles prepared therefrom.
Poly(hydroxy amino ethers) exhibit the property of good adhesion to a variety of substrates under conditions that allow the resin to melt and flow. However, quite often, the process demands that the resin softens and flows at low temperatures, with short heating time and without any external force to aid the softening and flow. Esters of carboxylic acids, among the most widely used modifiers to meet these challenges, undergo transesterifcation with polyhydroxy (amino ethers) at elevated temperatures. This not only makes it difficult to incorporate the ester modifier into the polyhydroxy (amino ether), but also changes the thermal stability of the modified polyhydroxy (amino ether). Poly (ethylene glycol) with molecular weight less than 5000 g/mole depresses the glass transition temperatures of the modified polyhydroxy (amino ether) and at the same time increases the water sensitivity of the modified resin. The combined effects of the low glass transition temperature and the plasticizing effect of absorbed moisture pose obstacles in fiber manufacturing using low molecular weight poly (ethylene glycol-modified polyhydroxy (amino ether). Poly (propylene glycol) does not render moisture sensitivity to resins modified with it, but it is not miscible with the polyhydroxy (amino ether).
Therefore, there is a need for a method for preparing a polyhydroxy (amino ether) composition which improves its adhesion to substrates and retains its processability, but does not increase its water absorptivity.
This need is met by the present invention which provides such a method.
In a first aspect, the present invention is a method for preparing a composition comprising a poly(hydroxy amino ether) (PHAE) and a propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol which comprises adding to the PHAE an effective amount of propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol.
In a second aspect, the present invention is a composition comprising a poly(hydroxy aminoether) and an effective amount of a propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cpropoxylated or ethoxylated phenolxe2x80x9d refers to a phenol that has been reacted with ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, or a combination of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9ceffective amountxe2x80x9d refers to the amount of propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol which is sufficient to improve the adhesion of the poly(hydroxy amino ether) to substrates.
It has been found that the propoxylated or ethoxylated phenol modifier does not react with the hydroxy functionalized poly (amino ether), nor does it increase the water absorptivity of the modified resin. The propoxylated or ethoxylated phenols only moderately depress the glass transition temperature of the modified resin, thus retaining the processability of the modified resin. The modified polyhydroxy (amino ether) of the present invention has low viscosity at a low shear rate, which improves its adhesion to substrates.